Comments on: For those of us who “have” to adopt kids http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/ Everything Southern Humboldt and more Mon, 20 May 2013 21:28:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Eric Kirk http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/#comment-64078 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:14:26 +0000 http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/?p=13703#comment-64078 Found this old article on Google.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1996-11-23/news/9611221871_1_haitian-refugees-eastern-cuba-cuban-officials

In my memory, Cuba established a special agency to deal with Haitian refugees back during the first migration of the late 70s/early 80s.

]]> By: Erasmus http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/#comment-64076 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:00:32 +0000 http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/?p=13703#comment-64076 Having worked in the restaurant industry, I knew many people who lacked health insurance and who needed expensive care (open heart surgery, etc). They were not placed in a line — far from it. California may have changed for the worse in the past 5 years. And I don’t wish to keep our current system as it is. —- I’ll do some research on the number of Haitians who have fled to Cuba.

]]> By: Eric Kirk http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/#comment-64073 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:23:08 +0000 http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/?p=13703#comment-64073 Canada has a single-payer system, yet it is a common occurrence for wealthy Canadians to travel south when grave illness strikes.

Because they don’t want to get in line, presumably. But at least they have a line to get into. No lines here if you’re not covered.

And the vast majority of medical-bill induced bankruptcies occur for people who are “covered.”

So yeah, we’re great with treating wealthy people. If you have the money to pay for the boy in the bubble and the baby with the baboon heart level of treatment, America’s a great place.

American Latinos certainly don’t risk limb and life to get to Cuba, but Haitians do. Of course, Haitians will go anywhere to get out of Haiti.

]]> By: Erasmus http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/#comment-64069 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:07:11 +0000 http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/?p=13703#comment-64069 A feeling of guilt for having removed your adopted children from a country that has universal health care? —- I confess that I didn’t expect to find a novel case of liberal guilt on this blog. Why is government-run health care (no matter how loose the bureaucratic strings) a sine qua non of a decent society? (And I ask this as someone who supports single-payer systems.) Canada has a single-payer system, yet it is a common occurrence for wealthy Canadians to travel south when grave illness strikes. (See the fine Canadian film ‘The Barbarian Invasions.’ Recently, the premier of one of Canada’s maritime provinces made the news by checking into an American hospital for an operation.) If your children are adequately covered by insurance, why does the absence of state-run health care matter? If a civilized society is defined by government-run programs, then human history takes on a meaning that historians before the 20th century would have been astounded to hear.There are many ways to guarantee access to health care without Washington, DC’s involvement, and for decades this country has offered a safety-net for those who slip through the cracks. Do I think our current system is ideal? Of course not But measuring childrens’ quality of life by such guages as “federal health care mandates” or however one wants to phrase it ….. that seems an impoverished way to discuss it. — Cuba has “free” health care and education. Few (if any) Latinos risk life and limb to flee to that country. There are values that transcend government programs —- and I apologize for the truisms, the cliches, and the banality of my comments.

]]> By: michael http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/#comment-64065 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:30:56 +0000 http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/?p=13703#comment-64065 Sorry, I didn’t mean all of Korea stopped international adoptions, just that Angel’s Haven had. I did not make that clear.

]]> By: Eric Kirk http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/#comment-64061 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 06:20:50 +0000 http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/?p=13703#comment-64061 No, probably not. And you’re right. Push it too hard and they’ll resist it like piano lessons.

]]> By: suzy blah blah http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/#comment-64060 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 06:03:48 +0000 http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/?p=13703#comment-64060 I actually wish I could get them more interested in learning about Korea, but I’m not going to push it until they’re ready.

-if you push they’ll likely rebel. And also, suzy doesnt think there’s any “thou shalt learn all about your country of origin” written in any holy tract anywhere, or anything … well maybe there is.

]]> By: Eric Kirk http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/#comment-64057 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 03:29:38 +0000 http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/?p=13703#comment-64057 One quibble, South Korea does have orphanages, check out Angels Haven in Seoul. They stopped doing, international adoptions several years ago (and even opened an orphanage in Uganda), although I don’t know about local ones.

I didn’t know that, in fact, I could swear I just recently read different – that they had tried to shut down adoption, but couldn’t.

Or maybe that’s why they need orphanages.

Suzi – thank you. The kids are beautiful, and they’ll do fine. When they start asking more questions, my wife and I will be right there for them. I actually wish I could get them more interested in learning about Korea, but I’m not going to push it until they’re ready. More time to learn about it myself (I think the Korean cinema might be the most sophisticated right now – just saw my first Korean vampire movie – Thirst – and it was appropriately freaky and intelligent). They’ll probably go through an identity crisis, but then so did I. Fortunately, there are plenty of support groups of Korean-born adoptees – institutions with several generations of knowledge now. It all started with mixed-race babies coming out of the Korean War because America was the only country who wouldn’t take responsibility for babies generated by soldiers. But that’s a topic for another thread.

]]> By: suzy blah blah http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/#comment-64056 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 03:05:13 +0000 http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/?p=13703#comment-64056 -thanks for the link Eric, i missed it the 1st time. That DMC’s history of being adopted wasnt known to him until he was an adult is another thing. And, I was especially touched to hear “the arms of an angel” once again. A very very good friend of mine “flew away from a cold dark room” about 10years ago.
He OD’d. He was an adopted kid but didn’t know the truth until he was in his twenties. That really tweaked his mind. The Sarah McLaughlin song always gives me goosebumps and tears, the lyric fits his story so well, her voice is beautiful, and haunting as well. I miss him and it brings back a lot of feelings -sorry i’m gettin all emotional on you
. . . .

But any time I feel guilty, I just remember that they were going to be adopted anyway, and probably would have ended up in a rectangular state somewhere being raised by Mormons. Nothing against Mormons really, but that wouldn’t have worked for my daughter – not at all.

ha ha, that’s for sure, I’ve seen both of your children around Redway, recognizing them standing out somewhat because of their color, “oh that must be Eric’s kids”, and they look great. I like your daughter. I don’t know her personally or anything like that but from some of what you’ve related she sounds really bright and with a high energy. I like the story about her “priceless” painting. You are really really fortunate to learn from such a brilliant girl ;) But everyone’s fragile at points in their own way, too. Adopted or not, I trust you will do all you can for her. Him too. Like Sarah sings;

“There’s always some reason to feel not good enough
And it’s hard at the end of the day ”

-and it makes it all the worse if youre in a “rectangular state” -LOL!

]]> By: Anonymous http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/for-those-of-us-who-have-to-adopt-kids/#comment-64055 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:49:51 +0000 http://kunsoo1024.wordpress.com/?p=13703#comment-64055 One quibble, South Korea does have orphanages, check out Angels Haven in Seoul. They stopped doing, international adoptions several years ago (and even opened an orphanage in Uganda), although I don’t know about local ones.

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